Kill or be killed
by Togusa
Summary: An altered Mononoke movie...


  
KILL OR BE KILLED  
a Mononoke-Hime fanfiction.  
  
  
  
Hello. Togusa here. I don't own Mononoke, but I'd be pretty  
proud if I did. - Lawyers can stop reading here  
  
Normal persons can start reading here -  
  
I hope you enjoy reading this fic, as much as I enjoyed writing  
it.  
-----------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
KILL OR BE KILLED  
  
  
  
"No! You mustn't get away!"  
  
A young girl covered with a wolf head-dress and a turned up  
mask, stood at the limits of a forest, arms wide open, interposing  
herself between the creature and it's goal. The former, a hideous  
giant boar covered in what worms would seem the more fitting word to  
describe it. It's goal: the exit from the strange forest.  
  
"Please! Oh Great Nago, Protector of the Forest!" the girl  
shouted. "You must go back to the Forbidden Forest."  
  
Still, the boar keep advancing towards her, indifferent at the  
young girl's advice. Tears began to flow down her cheeks.  
  
"Please! I'm sorry! I'm sorry my plan has failed! I'm sorry the  
Shishigami didn't give your health back, as I expected! But you mustn't  
run away! Darkness will overcome you, if you leave these sacred lands  
with your curse!"  
  
The creature arrived face to face with her. It seemed it would  
step all over her, but the remaining feelings inside the cursed creature  
stopped it from doing so. There were still great battle memories about  
her in it's fading consciousness. It remained like this along many  
seconds, until something burning inside the creature send intense  
flashes of pain through it's body. A hideous cry filled the silent  
spaces between the trees, and the worms whipped towards her. Caught by  
surprise, she couldn't even react.  
  
* * *  
  
"San, are you allright?"  
  
San opened her eyes to see her wolf brothers swimming their way  
towards her, and she herself half sunk in the water surrounding the  
Shishigami's forbidden island.  
  
"We got you here, after rescuing you away from Nago. He didn't  
harm you, but your arm..."  
  
She tensed and raised it to her eyes, seeing in horror a dark  
stigma where her smooth skin used to be.  
  
"Seeems" concluded the other wolf, "that the Shishigami didn't  
feel generous today."  
"Where is Nago?"  
"Nago ran away, San."  
  
* * *  
  
"This time you have REALLY gone east, you stupid."  
  
The old (and false) monk handed a younger man the bowl, filled  
with cooked rice. The fire illuminated both men around it.  
  
"Hadn't you been the best hunter of the region, or the matter so  
important, I'd sure had left you out of the mission" he continued.  
"I had never been before in this village..." the hunter remarked.  
"Better to you. This was a secret Emishi village"  
"EMISHI?? Hadn't they been massacred five centuries ago??"  
"So they said. But some escaped, and these were some of them. I  
dunno what happened here; maybe a fire or a war, but everybody died."  
"Emishi... I had heard many tales about their fighting skill."  
"Maybe, but not these. Their blood ran thin, and their prince  
had died at birth, shortly before an illness ended with the Emishi  
Patriarch. So, they were just a decaying clan... And now, let's talk  
about business..."  
  
* * *  
  
"Come on! The sooner we get there, the sooner we can rest!"  
  
Dozens of men hurried the oxen to strive up the hill, loud  
whinnings blurting out from the creatures. Lady Eboshi stood there,  
supervising, when a hurried rifleman alerted her. "Here they come!"  
  
"Don't let the oxen run away!"  
  
Two wolves raced through the labyrinth of trees at an incredible  
speed, slowly going in circles towards them. The rifles sounded, and the  
bullets flew around the wolves and the girl atop one of them. Apparently  
conceding defeat, the girl signaled the wolves to run away, while an  
even more giant two-tailed wolf landed all over the men and the oxen.  
  
Realizing they weren't paying them more attention, the wolves  
stopped, trying to hear the sounds of the battle above. Right then,  
San looked in horror as her wolf mother fell down the cliff.  
  
"Come on, San. They're almost out of gunpowder. Let's end with  
them once and for all!"  
"No! Let's go after mother!"  
"But..."  
"GO!"  
  
Without any more preambles, both wolves raced down the hill.  
They found Moro lying beside the river. San had wanted to try to  
take out the bullet off her breast, but Moro had insisted it was too  
deep. When they were almost leaving, San stopped in his tracks, sniffing  
the air.  
  
"There's..."  
  
She heard a feeble breath coming from the other side of the  
river. Taking her knife with her mouth, she plunged in the river.  
  
"San?" asked one of her brothers.  
"You go on ahead! I'll catch you later. And save me some meat  
from that ox." And she kept on swimming, finally climbing out of the  
water, and dissapearing behind some stones.  
  
The wolf went back to dragging their night meal towards the  
forest, when human shouts of agony alerted him. They were coming from  
where San had just dissapeared, and kept breaking the silence along  
some minutes, then fadded away. Shortly after, she joined him and they  
departed.  
  
* * *  
  
"I tell you, I'm worried sick about San."  
"Me too, brother, me too."  
  
Two wolves sat in the forest, their eyes shinning in the dark as  
the tall, thick trees deprived the soil of moonlight.  
  
"The incident after yesterday's battle with the citizens really  
startled me..."  
"Humans deserve no mercy, but lately San's been growing more and  
more cruel."  
"Yes, and I can't get the why of it"  
"You don't?" responded the other wolf, as if startled by the  
other's ignorance. His eyes narrowed slightly before he answered. "Our  
San has grown up, brother." The other's eyes widened momentarily, struck  
by the realization. "She needs a lifemate."  
"So... I see. Now that I think about it, this comes from a long  
ago, then... And the curse she got from Nago hasn't helped at all."  
"Yes, brother. Time ago she was happy just being with us or  
playing with the kodamas. But she's grown up, already, and there are  
feelings arising inside of her which she can't understand, given her  
situation."  
"Poor San, she must feel torn."  
"Yes, and as she is uncapable of understanding her feelings, her  
frustration feeds her hatred even more."  
  
* * *  
  
DANG DANG DANG DANG!!  
  
"The wolves are comiiiing!!"  
  
"Are you sure about this, San?" asked her brother hesitantly, as  
they ran among the flying bullets.  
"Of course I am! Let's go!" she responded through the mask.  
"San, I can't help but feel this is suicidal."  
  
She uncovered her right arm, putting aside the piece of cloth.  
She reached forward, so the wolf could see it.  
  
"Look. Look brother. The wound expands day after day. Sooner or  
later I'm gonna die."  
"San, that constant hatred doesn't help it, neither."  
"I can't help but hate them!!" she blurted out. "How can I feel  
about my foes? And what about Mother!?" The wolf lowered his gaze, and  
stormed down towards the barricade.  
  
*  
  
Gonza stood outside the door as the men got out with their  
weapons. "This time" he commented, "she's really out to kill you."  
  
"We'll see about that" Eboshi answered. "Let's go" she added,  
motioning two women armed with rifles to follow her.  
"That bitch" muttered one of them, "is gonna pay for Kouroku."  
  
She stood between the two riflewomen, while holding her sheathed  
katana. "Mononoke, Princess of the Beasts, if you want me, here I am!"  
  
A lonely figure appeared atop the roof of a large building. It  
seemed to hesitate for a while, until she let out a long howl and  
charged down. The gunfire almost killed her, but still she charged  
forward. Racing past the armed men, reaching the clearing where Eboshi was  
standing, going straight for her heart with the knife. However, got  
blocked, as Eboshi was, too, a consumated warrior.  
  
The fight seemed ethernal, as both women slashed back and forth,  
if well San had it more difficult, having to care about her surroundings,  
too.  
  
[Brother was right] she thought, [it was foolish of me expecting  
stand a chance in enemy field.] Too late for her; the short hesitancy  
had sold her neck. Two long blades from behind careessed her neck,  
crossing under her chin. However, she stood there, defiantly.  
  
"Well," Eboshi remarked, "you fight well. TOO WELL, for me to  
match you." Breathing heavily, the older woman leaned in her sword. "Are  
you sure you want to die, wolfgirl?" She stood up again, leveling up her  
short weapon. "Altough you've been a real nuisance, I'm pretty reluctant  
to kill a young lady, y'know... I've saved all these out from the  
brothels." Some of the women in the crowd nodded in aproval. In fact,  
San may have been impressed... had she known what the hell a brothel  
was.  
  
San reached up with her free hand, to raise her mask. It was the  
first time anybody saw her face. She reached down to a small bag tied to  
her waist, and took out an iron bullet, dropping it to the ground.  
Afther that, she retired the piece of fur from her right arm, leveling  
it up. "I suppose," she said, signaling the bullet, "you recognize that."  
"This is thanks to you, and Nago. That's why my life will end shortly in  
disgrace, not in the honour of combat."  
  
Still perplexed, Eboshi said "you say... not in combat??"  
  
San's reaction was so fast that caught everybody by surprise.  
She launched backwards, smashing her elbows straight in the women's  
faces. Taking one of the spears, she stroke forward, aiming for her  
neck; she missed, but took a good pierce at her left shoulder. San would  
have give it another try, but she could hear already the crowd rushing  
forward behind her. In a full turn she low-sweeped with her new  
weapon, chopping off several legs at once, and turned again with a  
battle cry, ready to chop off Eboshi's head next.  
  
Too late. The crowd was already at her side, protecting her. She  
heard some rifleman asking for an opening, and decided it was time to  
call it a day. She stormed out from the crowd, quickly leaping to the  
roofs. Unseen, Toki, rifle in hand, climbed up behind her.  
  
"Damn, she's so fast!!" Toki muttered, but kept on running  
after her.  
  
Finally, San reached the outside walls. Lucky she was, because  
all available men had gone down to hunt her. She let a long, loud howl,  
and her hipersensitive ears could hear her brothers approach.  
Frantically, she wondered how was she supposed to get down. So  
concentrated she was, that the next she knew was that some hot, big  
object, had had it's way into her ribs.  
  
Toki throwed the rifle away, and darted up the stairs to the  
sentinel's tower. She could see as San fell down... to the back of her  
brother wolf, who leapt over the sharp stakes to save her sister.  
  
* * *  
  
When the bushes behind of him rustled, the wolf turned quickly,  
to see his brother coming out to the clearing, walking hesitantly. His  
breast was tattered with blood, but he seemed to be all right.  
  
"Where is San?" he demanded.  
"Brother! I was getting worried!"  
"I was on the verge of death. While you carried San away, I had  
to avoid the hunting party. My wound slowed me down very much."  
"San is in the lake, resting. The Shishigami healed the bullet  
wound but..."  
"So, she's got still the demon mark. I knew it. Didn't heal it  
before, why to do it now?"  
"Did you hear the boars?"  
"Yes. There must be a lot of..."  
  
Their ears jumped up, and then they hurried to the lake.  
  
"Speaking of the demon!"  
  
* *  
  
Toki was pushing the bellows half-consciously, for her mind was  
more on the upheaval outside than on the task at hand. A girl entered,  
glancing around for her. "Toki, come to see this!" She took her place,  
so she left for the street.  
  
She was surprised to see so many men equally dressed, but their  
looks were even more interesting. "Hunters?" asked to a girl at her  
side. "No way. They're assassins. I've seen these looks before. In the  
old days."  
  
She was even more surprised as she was summoned to attend a  
meeting late that evening. All the most relevant female in town were  
there: Madoka, Yuko, Yoko, Rei, Asuka...  
  
"Have a seat, Toki."  
"What's the matter?"  
"We're doing some god-hunting, soon."  
Toki couldn't help but smile.  
  
*  
  
The wolf was lost in his thoughts when San finally awoke.  
Looking around the cave, she spotted him.  
  
"San! I'm glad you're allright."  
"Thanks brother. Ugh..." she turned over and touched the place  
where the bullet had hit her. Suddenly, she remembered and leapt up,  
examining the wolf. "Brother! How's that wound?" He smiled.  
"It's all right, San. It was a calculated jump. I just missed a  
bit."  
"Have Okoto and the boars departed, already?"  
"Yes, San. They're on the way, now."  
"Damn. Damn. DAMN HUMANS!!" she said, caressing his wound.  
"San..." he hesitated. He thought of the things he discussed  
with his brother, but couldn't figure out how to proceed. "You  
shouldn't... I mean..." She stared at him blankly.  
"I shouldn't, what?"  
"...Nothing"  
  
[Mother], he thought, [for once in your life, I think you were  
unfair.]  
  
Later in the night, San awoke to the sounds of the matting calls  
from the female wolves in the far away mountains, distant fellows  
unattached to the forbidden forest. She stood up at the edge of the  
rock platform, while Moro, feigning sleep, watched her from above.  
  
* *  
  
[It smells horrible, and makes my eyes sting.]  
[That's what they want. They pretend to bottle up our sense of  
smell]  
[And why do they cut the trees?]  
[To get'em angry and cloud their minds, San]  
[It's a trap! We've gotta warn'em, Mother!]  
[They won't hear you.]  
  
As her wolf brother speeded through the boars, the thoughts  
speeded through San's mind. She had decided to help the boars, and hoped  
she could persuade Okoto to not rush into the enemy's nets, for it was  
clear to her that they had all this planned since long. But important as  
the matter was, it wasn't this what was running through her mind, but  
her mother's last words to her.  
  
[San, after this battle is over, you are free.]  
  
Free? Free for what? She had always felt free.  
  
"San, look ahead!." She faced up, as they surpassed a group of  
riflemen. The boars trailing behind took good care of them. "Turn back,  
brother. I've got an idea."  
  
*  
  
The noise grew louder and louder. Toki was growing impatient as  
she held her rifle. She had begged Eboshi to come with her, but she had  
refused to do so; she was far more worried about the humans than the  
gods of the forest. Eboshi had summoned all of them to put them at  
charge in defending the city, but Toki had insisted in go along, and  
she, feeling guilty by Toki's lost husband, couldn't refuse her.  
  
Then the battle started, and boars seemed to come from  
everywhere. She and Eboshi were in a strategical, comfortable position,  
just having to watch Jiko's assassins blowing the boars up. That, and,  
lamentably, see the men from her town being sent to the front line. But  
Toki was scanning the landscape. She hadn't come here to kill boars. She  
just waited for the Princess Mononoke to show up...  
  
Suddenly, a familiar exploding sound erupted from below, and  
Eboshi fell down, retorting in pain. Her right knee was a bloody mess.  
She gazed down as San throwed the rifle away, fleeing from the  
bullets and raising her spear in defiance.  
  
"That bitch!" blurted out Toki, seeing the wolf get away  
harmless.  
"Seems" said Gonza beside the fallen lady, "that the hunt is  
over for today."  
"No. There's no way to stop it now." said Toki. "I will do it."  
  
Gonza looked puzzled at her, turning to Jiko. He wasn't that  
sure about it, but finally asked "do you think you can do it?." Eboshi  
looked concerned, but she knew her stroll was over for today. Toki  
nodded.  
  
"Gonza," she commanded, "you'd better get her back to Iron  
Town." They shared a short smirk of mutual agreement. They both cared  
about Eboshi. None trusted Jiko or his men.  
  
*  
  
"LORD OKOTO!"  
"Ooohh, so you're here, little girl. You've decided to join us,  
after all?"  
"Please, Great Okoto, you've got to listen to me. We've got to  
head back to the forest!"  
"Silly girl, we're gonna end with this once and for all. There  
won't be any more cut trees nor gods killed. Me and my warriors will  
smash them, and it will be TODAY!"  
"No, please Great Okoto, you've got to listen to me! I've just  
seriously wounded their leader with their own weapons, Okoto. But  
remaining in the forest is dangerous, still. This is a trap, Great  
Okoto!"  
"I've told you before, girl. None will stop this battle now!"  
"I see," San lowered her gaze, thinking in an alternate way.  
"Then, Great Okoto, let's head to their town!"  
"Eh?"  
"Yes, Great Okoto. The forest is a trap. Let them cut some  
trees, if they want. Their den is that town, Great Okoto. If we want to  
push them out from the forest, we must destroy their city!"  
"Allright. Guide me."  
  
*  
  
"What are they doing?"  
"Seems," Toki responded, "they're changing their course."  
"Damn! If they don't step into our traps, we're doomed!"  
"Jiko-sensei!!" A hunter approached from behind. "They're  
heading to Iron Town." Gasps and worried comments arose from Toki's  
companions, but she motioned them for silence. "That bitch! I know this  
is her doing..." She gazed down in anger.  
"Are you heading back to town?" asked Jiko.  
"Yes. We're doing nothing here. Let's go!!" she screamed.  
  
[Oh, my god] he thought, while following her.  
  
*  
  
Arrows flew through the sky above Iron Town. Several of Asano's  
battle banners could be seen from the distance. The remaining citizens,  
namely women and lepers, had a tough task in keeping them outside.  
There had been several attempts to climb the walls or surround the city  
through the lake. They had to focus the attack at the doors, for it was  
the strongest point of the structure, and there were few rifles.  
  
At first they didn't care. They thought it was coming from the  
battle but now, the noise was growing louder, and even these of the  
samurais not inmersed in the heat of battle at the front, were turning  
their sight back to the noise.  
  
It was then when the firsts boars erupted from the forest,  
leaving the samurais at a loss. Trapped from the front and behind, most  
of them got hit by the fierce creatures, but some few who jumped to the  
water.  
  
"Madoka! Come to see this!"  
"Oh my god! EVERYBODY! All the rifles to the doors!"  
  
The alarm banged fiercely as the news were spread across town.  
All disponible rifles congregated in the catwalk, no matter if they were  
most lepers. The boars had sweeped off the samurais, but they were now  
fiercely blowing at the door. Stunned, Madoka saw in the distance a  
particular boar who, if let give a try, would mean death for them all.  
  
"HURRY!! THE IRON!! BRING THE HOT IRON UP THERE!"  
  
Gunfire had had it's effect in the bottled boars at the gate.  
The corpses lied all around, dificulting the way. San and her brother  
had it easy to avoid them; Okoto didn't mind step over them. He was at  
full speed to the main gate.  
  
He would have succeeded, perhaps. But the burning iron splashed  
him right in the face, and he rolled over the ground screaming in pain.  
  
"OH NO!! Great Okoto!!" San tried to approach the fallen beast,  
but the gunfire prevented her from doing so. It seemed they were now  
focusing on her. The wolf turned back and fled, and San saw, relieved,  
as Okoto was heading blindly after them. When they were out of range for  
the fire, San jumped down and approached Okoto.  
  
"Oh, Great Okoto, I'm sorry!" Tears flowed in her face. "I  
didn't expect this!" The worried minor boars screamed around them,  
seeing their leader seriously wounded.  
"I'm blind, San. I CAN'T SEE!" the poor beast shaked in fear,  
rubbing it's eyes furiously with it's front legs.  
"I'm so sorry, Great Okoto. Let's head into the forest, we're  
exposed, here!"  
  
The boars dissapeared into the forest as quickly as they had  
come out of it. Eventually, the remaining samurais came back towards the  
gate. Unseen, a small boat made it's way across the lake. It was a leper  
at the catwalk who saw it first.  
  
"Hey!! Look down!! It's Gonza-sensei! And he's bringing Lady  
Eboshi!" They all erupted in mixed shouts of cheer and worry, as they  
could see Eboshi couldn't stand on her own. The samurai took the bridge  
again, and the riflewomen worked hard to keep them away, while a  
fatigued Gonza carried his load up to the gate. "Open it! Quick!"  
  
The samurai were approaching fast, and Gonza unsheathed his  
loyal katana, slashing off several arrows. But there were too much of  
them. Several hit their goal, but he managed to pass Eboshi through the  
small opening, and he crawled inside after her, the heavy gate crashing  
closed loudly behind him.  
  
*  
  
In the distance, hidden between the trees, Toki made a mental  
note to not laugh at Gonza never more. Turning to Jiko, she said "let's  
go. The wolf girl has done us a favour, after all. We can go back to our  
original plan."  
  
"Jiko-sensei" said a hunter coming from the depths of the  
forest, "Okoto and the wolf girl are heading to the pond of the  
Shishigami."  
  
Jiko smiled. He wouldn't have Asano's reward, but the main  
matter was far more interesting. He motioned for a man to get close, and  
opened a large pot. After painting their faces with blood from the fallen  
boars, he, Toki and all the others left into the forest.  
  
*  
  
"Resist. Soon we'll get there, Great Okoto."  
  
But Okoto was seriously tired by now. All the others seemed to  
have died to the several ambushes they had suffered. Only she and her  
brother wolf stood with him. Suddenly, Okoto fell down, crashing San to  
a rock. She tensed and looked backwards. Her brother had heard it, too.  
  
"Great Okoto, we must continue. There's something hidden there."  
  
Suddenly, she saw it: a boar-like form, with no eyes. "Warriors"  
she thought. Okoto in his madness claimed them to be his fellow  
warriors, coming from the death to help him. He stood up, heading to  
the pond and summoning the Shishigami to give him back his vision and to  
give her warriors power to end with the human threat. San frantically  
tried to speak some sense into him, but it was his weakness what finally  
got the better of him.  
  
Striking back and forth with her spear, she tried to keep the  
crowd of disguised warriors far from Okoto, but there was too much of  
them, and she was too tired. Suddenly, Okoto let out a loud scream,  
erupting blood by his mouth, and scaringly familiar worms began to grow  
out of his body. She was so stunned she didn't notice the rock that hit  
her head, sending her unconscious and all tangled up by the worms on top  
of Okoto.  
  
*  
  
Moro had dreamed about this day. The day she would get close  
enough to that woman that she could ripe her head off. She had heard San  
and Okoto approaching but still couldn't see her. In the distance, she  
could see the form of one of her sons heading towards her. If he had  
decided to betray her own plan, this was surely bad news. The wolf  
arrived at her side, but didn't need to say nothing, as Okoto was now at  
her sight.  
  
Forgetting all her plans and her anger, she headed to Okoto. She  
couldn't let San die like this, not her daughter. She tried to pull the  
unconscious girl away, but the worms were too strong even for Moro.  
Surprisingly, all of a sudden, they melted down, and Okoto stay quiet.  
[So,] she thought, [you decided to show up, at last, Shishigami.]  
  
She yanked San away, and her brother plunged with her into the  
water. There San regained consciousness, and they both emerged. Stunned,  
they saw the Shishigami in all his glory. The explosion took them out of  
their awe, as a bullet traspassed the creature's head side to side.  
  
Filled with anger, San turned her head to see Toki rifle in  
hand. Screaming, she began to swim furiously towards her. Their kinsmen  
spotted her, and the bullets began to rain into the water. She had to  
inmerse into the depths to avoid them. She traveled unseen, but when she  
reached the other side and leapt up, knife in hand, there wasn't anyone  
there. She watched, helpless, as Toki fired again, and the Shishigami  
lost his head.  
  
His form melted and changed, and suddenly there was death  
everywere. The Shishigami turned into a weird variant of the Night Walker,  
and began to reach randomly around with his arms. Pieces of his flesh  
were sprawled around the place.  
  
She started to run towards Toki, but suddenly a great mass of  
the translucid flesh interposed between San and her prey. San saw as  
Moro's head jumped out of the blue, but Toki was fast, and with a quick  
shot it blew up into pieces.  
  
"MOTHER!!"  
  
"SAN!" She turned, and saw her brothers standing in the  
forbidden island. "Over here!" She swam her way to her brothers, and  
crawled weakly to the ground.  
  
"He's looking for his head" said the injured one. "We can't  
stay here. San..." She had her eyes closed, and was breathing heavily.  
  
"I know, I know... Just a minute... We can reach them easily."  
  
*  
  
The next she felt was that someone was shaking her fiercely.  
"SAN! SAN, CAN YOU HEAR ME!?" Slowly, she regained her consciousness.  
  
"Oh...DAMN!!" She sat up abruptly. Her brothers had dragged her  
to the other shore.  
"I knew we shouldn't have let her" remarked one of the wolves  
to the other.  
"Let's go!" She hopped on her brother again and headed through  
the forests.  
  
*  
  
She stopped a while. She had kept running for long, and was now  
almost exhausted. She sat on the grass, and heard the trees complain of  
their death in the distance. The sweet grass seemed so alluring...  
  
"No" she said. "I must continue", and she stood up, ignoring the  
nasty sensations through her whole body. Slowly, Toki began walking  
again. She had accomplished her Lady's promise. She didn't care about  
all that fools anymore. Now, Toki just wished to be back and safe at  
Iron Town.  
  
*  
  
Meanwhile, in town, the fight had ceased to be. Asano's troops  
were waiting for dawn, and that left some precious hours to rest and  
prepare. Eboshi was unconscious, and Gonza had proved worthless to  
organize them, so Madoka took her place.  
  
"Here, fixed." A heavy bandaged woman handed her rifle back.  
"What's that sound?" Madoka saw some women standing up in  
silence. She hadn't heard it before, but it was clearly growing in  
intensity. All of a sudden, the mountains began pouring down a black mud  
and everyone stared in horror as it slowly made its way towards them.  
  
"Madoka! Look there! It's Toki!! TOKIIII!"  
"You fool!" she shouted at the woman. "Shut up or they will spot  
her, you idiot!"  
  
Indeed, some archers were forming already and arrows began  
flying above Toki. She had to inmerse in the water while holding her  
grip on the boat. The women responded with their rifles, but the battle  
ceased quickly, as the mud was getting dangerously near. "Listen" she  
screamed, "get down to the water!! If that thing touches you, you'll  
die! The water can slow down it's advance!" She had reached the least  
deep part of the lake, and stood there, next to the boat.  
  
"You've heard her! Everybody to the lake."  
"We can't get out! The samurai..." said one of them.  
"Stand here and die, or take some risk and live."  
  
*  
  
Finally, she spotted them. They were heading up the hill, hoping  
to had it easier going down once they reached the peak. Her body ached  
terribly; the demon mark had extended long and wide through her body.  
Still, specially after her short nap, she felt an energy she had never  
had before. She felt as if she could easily take ten men down with no  
effort.  
  
Her brother headed down, but the Night Walker extended it's  
hand, and the mud began closing the way to the helpless men. Three of  
the carriers fled, leaving Jiko and his treasure behind. They were,  
however, hit by the mud and quickly dead. The box bounced down the hill,  
Jiko stupidly following after it.  
  
The mud blocked the wolf's path completely, now, and he couldn't  
do nothing but stop before plunging into it. He felt as suddenly San  
leapt off his back, and saw her flying through the air...Landing safely  
beyond the mud.  
  
"SAN!!"  
"YOU RUN AWAY!! THE NEXT IS UP TO ME!"  
"Sister... Good bye." He couldn't do nothing, so finally turned  
and scamped off.  
  
Jiko was on top of the rock, pleading the sun to come out. San  
jumped on, and he took a fighting stance. "It's too soon" she said  
calmly. "Open the box."  
  
"Don't be silly! Do you think I will ruin all my efforts, now?"  
  
He seemed like he was going to fight, but San looked coldly  
their surroundings, and asked "do you want to die?" Jiko stood there,  
thoughtfully, but finally took out a small key and crouched, sliding off  
the iron bar; green fluids began emerging from the box. San took out  
carefully it's cover. With a quick move, she smashed Jiko right in the  
face with it, sending him down to the mud, where he found death. "I  
don't care what you want" she said.  
  
Taking the head with both hands, she leveled it up.  
  
"OH GREAT GOD OF THE FOREST! I'M YOUR HUMBLE SERVANT, TAKE BACK  
YOUR HEAD AND LIVE!"  
  
*  
  
She awoke to a pleasant sight of green, tall grass. Her brothers  
stood on the rock, proud, looking fondly at her. "You did it."  
  
She felt a great joy. Turning over, she saw the blue sky, and  
the sun. Quickly, she stood up. Her skin was as smooth and clear as it  
had been before. She looked around, trying to situate herself. She  
headed to where she thought could see the forest, but couldn't find it.  
  
Her brothers joined her, and one of them let a sad growl. San  
stood there, emotionless, looking at what wasn't her forest anymore.  
  
"The Night Walker regained his head," said one of the wolves,  
"but shortly after, the dawn came, and he died. It's not your fault."  
  
However, she stood there, emotionless. The wolf slid his head  
under her arm, and she caressed him, smiling. [If only I hadn't fell  
asleep at the island.]  
  
She turned, and saw the lake empty and the city silent and  
ruined. San began to climb down the hill, towards Iron Town. She found  
the few survivors around Lady Eboshi, while she and her brothers  
approached to them unseen.  
  
"I can't believe it" she heard her muttering. "The wolves and  
that girl have saved us."  
  
"No."  
  
Everybody turned and saw San and her brothers, standing few  
inches away from them. "Let's end with this."  
  
*  
  
Later, they were at the pond. San advanced, her arms dripping  
with blood. "As it says the tradition of the Moro Clan, I, your  
alpha, sink my claws in the blood of your assassins." She posed her  
hands on the ground, right in the place where Moro had fell. After  
a while, she stood up again, washed the blood away in the water and  
left.  
  
* * *  
  
"Are you ready, San?"  
"Yes. I am ready."  
  
They stood there, at the limits of what was before the sacred  
forest. Her brothers softened, and began to wail sadly. She approached,  
smiling sadly, and hugged, kissed and caressed them. They had been more  
close than any real brothers could have been. "I will miss you, too," she  
said, "but I can't stay here forever. As much as I hate it, I have to be  
with my own kind." San frowned, and lowered her gaze.  
  
"Still," she continued, "I don't know if I'll be able to  
overcome my hatred against humans, or if there are any humans which  
don't deserve being hated." She let out a loud sigh. "But the only way  
to find out is being among them."  
"Come back whenever you want, sister."  
"You know I'll be far away, brother" she answered sadly,  
caressing their nose.  
"Yes, but still, I'll ask you only this: just once more in the  
future, I want you to come back to see us."  
"I will."  
"Where will you head to, San?" asked the other wolf.  
"Where? Hmmm..." She looked up, pensative. "To the East."  
  
And suddenly, the air filled with the rattling sound of the  
kodamas.  
  
THE END  
  
  
----------------------------------------------------------------------  
WHOA!! I'm exhausted!! It's... FIVE IN THE MORNING!!  
  
Well, before falling asleep, thanks by reading all this.  
  
Yes, I know it's been long. Sorry. You know, when you write a fic of  
this kind ("rearranging the room") you cannot help but doubt about:  
  
-Writing or not the scenes of the movie you don't alter  
-Writing it at all  
-How money they've done with the merchandising.  
-Any other foolish thing  
  
Well, read and review!  
  
Togusa.  
  
ZZZZzzzzzzzzzz... (-_-)  
  
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